Personal Paragraphs.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIII, Issue XV, 13 October 1894, Page 351

Personal Paragraphs.

THERE is a tradition—and a well-founded one—that Governors are seldom remarkable for * side ’ or haughty stand ofiishness, but that their A D.C.’s. usually carry enough of both these qualities for both Governor and suite. Rudyard Kipling tells the same story of Indian Vice Roys. It is always the A.D.C., who is ’igh and ’aughty, just as the gentleman’s gentleman is always a far more difficult person to satisfy than his master. There are exceptions to every rule, and a very notable one is that of Captain Stewart, A.D.C to Lord Glasgow. This gentleman, whose portrait is here given, is one of the plea-

santest A. D.C.’s we have had in New Zealand with any Governor. He is a gentleman in the truest and best sense, and his courtesy and good sense have much to do with the popularity of the present Government House regime. Mrs Stewart, who acted as hostess at Government House on several occasions during the absence of Lady Glasgow, has made scores of friends, and so far as we have heard, no single enemy in New Zealand.

A gentleman of the name of Thompson—H. B. Thompson, of Waipuknrau, to give him his full name—is convinced he can extirpate the codlin moth. But he is not willing to play the part of the deliverer of his country save on strictly business principles. He wants, in brief, £2,000 before he will get rid of the pest of our orchards. We cannot congratulate the gentleman on his patriotism, and we think he is mistaken in policy. If Mr Thompson can kill the codlin moth he would be wise to do it first, and then ask for his reward. At present he says • nothing for nothing,’ and the obvious retort is what proof have we that it will not be nothing for £2,000 ?

The multitudinous friends of Mr and Mrs George Beetham will regret to hear of the accident to the latter, which is interfering with the pleasure of their visit Home. It appears, from news via Brindisi, that Mrs Beetham snapped one of the tendons in her leg, and has made somewhat slow progress in recovering from this unfortunate occurrence. When the mail left Mr and Mrs Beetbam were at Tunbridge Wells, a continental trip which had been contemplated, having been abandoned on account of the accident.

Dr. Stewart, of Christchurch, has gained notoriety, if not fame, by his accusations against the Charitable Aid Board of Canterbury. If his allegations are proved Dr. Stewart will have done public service by exposing a very discreditable state of affairs. It is, on the other hand, asserted that the accusations are false and malicious. One can hardly understand a doctor of position and a City Councillor making such explicit charges without foundation, but of course it may be so, and in that case the doctor’s position will be somewhat unpleasant.

Mrs Milne, of the Hutt, Wellington, did an extremely foolish thing last week in attempting to get on the train for the Hutt when it was in motion. It is generally men who play the fool with their lives in this fashion. Mrs Milne would have paid the penalty of a distinctly disagreeable death but for the presence of mind of Mr T. E. Donne, the well-known station master at the Wellington Government Railway Station. The misguided woman was dragged oil her feet by the momentum of the train and thrown between

the carriages. Luckily, she kept her bold on the stanchion, and still more luckily, a level-headed Mr Donne was by to drag her on to the platform, shaken, but safe.

The Roman Catholic Bishop of Christchurch, the Most Rev. Dr. Grimes, is, as all who have met him know, a kind, broad minded and courteous Christian gentleman, and bis recent visit to Dunedin has still further increased his wide popularity. He got through a tremendous amount of work, visiting Melton, Invercargill, and on Sunday last opening the new Roman Catholic Church at Lock, Dunedin.

If, as is reported probable, Captain Ashby should come out to New Zealand on a visit, he will certainly be warmly welcomed by the numerous friends he left in this part of the world when he went to settle in London.

Wanganui breeds brave boys : Herbert Olds and Willie Stevenson, of that city, were recently presented with the Royal Humane Society awards for bravery. Both lads made plucky rescues, saving comrades from drowning at the imminent risk of their own lives. May we always have some such worthy act to record in these columns !

So Mr A. R. Guiness, M.H.R , Chairman of Committees, and one of the most useful members of the House, is going to leave the West Coast, and settle himself in Napier. We congratulate both Napier and Mr Guiness. The M.H R. will be an acquisition, for he is smart, enterprising, and social. And, on the other hand, he, too, is to be congratulated. Napier is the pleasantest as well as the most go ahead of the northern seaport towns.

Those people—and their name is legion—who have called Mr Tom Russell many hard names ever since he left the colony will, it seems likely, have an opportunity of saying to the financier’s face what they have said so often and so virulently behind his back. How many will do so ? And how many leading citizens of Auckland and Wellington will metaphorically lick his boots ’ We wonder !

The Shorlands are evidently an athletic family. The New Zealand Shorland, who has just broken a local road record, is cousin of the English long distance champion. The characteristics of both men are endurance, speed, and recuperative power.

All Taranaki residents and settlers will regret the death of Mr Harry Downey, which took place at New Plymouth last week. The deceased gentleman was a useful and enthusiastic colonist, and took the greatest interest in his province. He bought Taranaki land at the sale three years ago and had converted a bush section into a good farm. Mr Downey, who was a member of several public bodies, will be a general loss to the district. The funeral was very largely attended, and was indicative of the esteem in which the deceased gentleman was held.

North Dunedin sustains a loss in the departure of the Rev. Gibson Smith, of the Presbyterian Church. Mr Smith goes to Invercargill. On the occasion of his farewell sermon in Dunedin Mr Smith preached to one of the largest congregations ever gathered in the North Dunedin Presbyterian Church.

Herr Max Hirschburg, well known to all Christchurch people, is very properly exceedingly proud of the silver mounted baton presented to him by the members of the Canterbury Jewish congregation last week. A large gathering of friends and citizens witnessed the presentation, which took place in the Christchurch Synagogue.

Mr Olli ver, an ardent and enthusiastic cricket patron, has been appointed ‘ selector ’ for the season. The Canterbury Cricket Association could not have made a better choice. The appointment of Mr Olliver satisfies everyone.

Mr John Reid, one of the most prosperous land proprietors in N.Z , ismoving in the direction Messrs Seddon and Co. desire. The magnificent Elderslie estate (famous for wheat and potatoes) is to be cut up into farms of twentyfive acres and upwards. The rents, which will be moderate, are to be based on valuation.

Mr HiramS Maxim s aeroplane flying machine has been sufficiently described in these and other columns. It is, however, of importance to note that critics like Lord Kelvin, Lord Rayleigh and Professor Osborne Reynolds spoke ap. provingly and hopefully of the new enterprise at the recent meeting of the British Association. Our satisfaction is diminished by Mr Maxim’s forecast that his invention will be more useful in war than in peace, and that the aerial navigators will have to be * not only experienced engineers but also acrobats.’

Mr ARTHUR de Troy, in Christchurch, is the recipient of universal sympathy in the bereavement which in so few days robbed him of such near and dear personal relatives. Mr William de Troy's death was not altogether unexpected, for the deceased gentleman had been in indifferent health for some time past. Mr William de Troy was a scholar

and a gentleman, and his death will leave a blank hard to fill in the rinks of thoie who were privileged to call him friend.

Mi: Watson having reconsidered the matter, has accepted the position of President of the Bink of New Zealand. No appointment could have given greater confidence and general satisfaction. Mr Watson is lucky, for £2.000 a year is a good salary, but so is the Bink, for Mr Watson is a good man.

On dit that the engagement of Mr J. Prouse, of Wellington, for the * Elijah ’ at Invercargill does not satisfy a section of the public there. They wanted Mr Gee, of Auckland.

Thomas C. Willi ams, who signs himself a native of New Zealand, must be a little goldmine to the New Zealand Tories. Mr Williams writes letters of huge length to the Editor, and inserts them as advertisements. We can understand the objection of the Editor to insert them otherwise. Mr Williams is involved, not to say obscure, in his political writings, as witness the following par from one of hie longest letters: —* Have a Liberal leaders, with their mischievous, destructive “ Grand conceptions ” lock tbem-all-up policy. Knights of Labour and tailoresses' councillors, mind your own business more, and we will mind your business a little less please policy. A read your Bibles and say your prayers, but no cant and hypocrisy policy. A love your neighbours, and your neighbours may if such best wish they may get it policy. A stand on your heads or if you prefer it there you are stand on your heels policy. An all hands “do as you please,” but mind you behave yourselves or you will get your jacket warmed policy. Dear, oh me, dear, oh me, what with interfering here, meddling and muddling there, tying np here, smashing and paralyzing everywhere. Dear, oh me, dear, oh me, shall be having all hands turning wrongdoers in self-defence. Dear, oh me, dear, oh me, and the Councillors all running away. Dear, oh me, dear, oh me. “ Are you there ?” “ Yes, lam here.” •• Well, then, stay there.” ’

The appointment of Mr P. Fitzgerald as lecturer on mining, etc., in the School of Mines, Dunedin, is one in which the University Council of Otago have shown wisdom. Mr Fitzgerald is an able man, and should fill the position in a thoroughly useful and competent manner.

Among many things the German Emperor did during his stay in England, none was more delicately polite than the visit to the ex-Empress Eugenie at Farnborough. The Empress was deeply affected, and the meeting was quite a scrap of history.

Lady guides, lady journalists, lady doctors, lady lawyers, even lady mayors and lady councillors we have had, and now we hear of a lady house agent doing big business in London. A colonial lady who consulted her writes to this paper to say that Miss Etta Nauen, 14, Ladbroke Gardens, is a very charming and a very smart house agent. She obtained a house for our correspondent to the great satisfaction of herself and two Wellington friends, who desired to rent a house in the London suburbs for a month or two. Doubtless some enterprising New Zealander will follow the example.

Mr W. Moss, well known in Auckland Society, who went to Coolgardie recently, has, we are informed, obtained an important survey contract connected with the railway, which is to be constructed forthwith from Coolgardie to the present terminus.

Mrs Matson, the lady councillor of Parnell, desires us to state that our representative was in error last week when he said that she entertained a profound contempt for the ‘goings on’ of the Auckland Women's Franchise and Political Leagues. What Mrs Matson said was that she kept aloof from these organisations, but that if she ever saw good reason for joining either of them she might do so.

Mr Frank Ross, son of Mr John Ross, of Sargood's, has arrived in England with his sister, Miss Maud Ross, by the Tainui. Unfortunately, two days after leaving Port Nicholson, Mr Ross developed symptoms of typhoid fever, and was confined to his cabin throughout the voyage across the Southern Pacific and well up the east coast of South America. The invalid experienced the greatest kindness on board the Tainui, and speaks warmly of the attention and sympathy of Dr. Adams, and the devoted nursing of Miss Maud. But despite all the care bestowed on Mr Frank Ross, be declares that a man six foot long finds a steamer's bunk a most uncomfortable place for a long illness. The passengers generally were much disappointed that the Tainui did not pass through the Straits of Magellan, and so had no opportunity of observing the Patagonians closely. At Rio they were intensely disgusted to find the city still in s state of siege, and no passengers allowed on shore.